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Posted on: February 22, 2018

Former Carle Place Fire Department Treasurer Pleads Guilty to Stealing more than $50,000 from Dept.

MINEOLA, N.Y. – Nassau County District Attorney Madeline Singas announced that a former treasurer for the Carle Place Fire Department has pleaded guilty to stealing more than $50,000 from the department over the course of four years.

William Weingarten, 65, pleaded guilty today before Judge Robert Bogle to Grand Larceny in the Second Degree (a C felony).

The defendant is due back in court on April 18 and is expected to be sentenced to five years’ probation and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $54,053.33.

“We rely on our fire departments to keep our communities safe, but this unscrupulous treasurer used funds meant for emergency services to pay for NASCAR and iTunes,” DA Singas said. “Anyone entrusted with the protection of public funds has an important responsibility, and we take betrayals of that trust very seriously. I thank the Carle Place Fire Department for bringing this matter to our attention.”

DA Singas said that between January 1, 2014 and September 24, 2017 the defendant, a former treasurer for the Carle Place Fire Department, allegedly used his department-issued credit card to make unauthorized purchases totaling $54,053.33. Most of the purchases consisted of Apple iTunes charges. Additional purchases were made to pay for a NASCAR membership, automobile parts, gasoline, electronics and meals at restaurants.

Before resigning as treasurer, the defendant served 22 years with the department. As treasurer, his duties were to maintain the books, issue checks and make deposits for the department.

The fire department’s board referred this case to the NCDA on September 21, 2017, based upon its review of an external audit of the department’s finances.

Deputy Chief of DA Singas’ Public Corruption Bureau, Robert L. Cavallo is prosecuting this case. The defendant is represented by Peter Rubin, Esq.